José Mota

José Albano Ferreira da Mota (born 25 February 1964) is a Portuguese retired footballer who played mainly as a right back, and a current manager.

He spent most of his playing career with Paços de Ferreira, where he also began his coaching career and won two Segunda Liga titles. In two decades as a manager he led eight teams in Primeira Liga, and won the Taça de Portugal for Aves in 2018.

Football career

Mota was born in Paredes, Porto District. After humble beginnings with Aliados do Lordelo FC, he went on to spend nearly a decade at F.C. Paços de Ferreira, often leading the club as its captain. After retiring, he immediately joined their coaching staff, being promoted to head manager in 1999; in 2004, he had a short stint with C.D. Santa Clara in the Azores, but returned to Paços shortly after.

In the 2006–07 season, Mota led Paços de Ferreira to the UEFA Cup for the first time after a sixth-place finish in the league. The northerners would subsequently lose in the first round of the European competition against AZ Alkmaar, 0–1 on aggregate.

In July 2008, Mota left Paços and joined Leixões S.C. also in the Primeira Liga. On 9 February 2010, with the Matosinhos team ranking second from bottom, he was sacked.

Mota returned to active in November 2010, being appointed at C.F. Os Belenenses who was struggling in the second division and eventually narrowly avoided relegation. Between February 2012 and October of the following year, he coached Vitória F.C. in the top level.

On 2 September 2014, Mota was hired by Gil Vicente F.C. as a replacement to João de Deus, fired after three losses in as many top division games. On 25 March 2016, after a period of inactivity, he signed with second tier club C.D. Feirense, leading it to promotion after four years and being relieved of his duties in December of the same year.

Mota was appointed at C.D. Aves on 18 February 2017, achievement another promotion to the Portuguese top flight but leaving subsequently by mutual consent. The 53-year-old moved abroad for the first time in late June, signing a two-year contract with CS Sfaxien from the Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 and leading them to the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup.

Mota returned to both Portugal and Aves on 24 January 2018, replacing the suspended Lito Vidigal as well as being appointed senior football and youth system coordinator. On 18 April, he took the club to its first-ever final of the Taça de Portugal after disposing of lowly Caldas S.C. 3–1 on aggregate, defeating Sporting CP 2–1 in the decisive match.

On 16 January 2019, Mota left Aves by mutual consent after their elimination from the quarter-finals of the cup by S.C. Braga. He returned to the league on 10 March at G.D. Chaves on a deal until 2020, and reiterated his commitment to the club after they were relegated on the last day of the season with a 5–2 defeat to C.D. Tondela; he managed his 400th game in Portugal's top flight on 21 April, a 2–2 draw against Belenenses SAD.

On 19 December 2019, with the team in eighth, Mota's contract was terminated and he was replaced by César Peixoto.

Honours

Manager

Paços Ferreira

• Segunda Liga: 1999–2000, 2004–05

Aves

• Taça de Portugal: 2017–18